You May Dream  Dreams Come True
by Ryoma
Summary: Shinji awakes on a desolate beach with Asuka by his side and thinks back to the events that lead him here. (WAFF Contest Entry)


Nergal Fan Fiction LLC 

A division of Nergal Heavy Industries proudly presents:

"_You May Dream_ / Dreams Come True

by Ryoma

Disclaimer: Characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion have been used without permission. All characters contained in this work are copyright GAINAX, Project EVA, Movic, AD Vision and Manga Entertainment. 

A soft breeze ran through the evening air, pushing aside a few stray grains of sand as it continued unhindered on its journey. The granules swirled and twisted out of the way, their faint rustling providing a steady background to the orchestra that was the sea.  As each wave was born it rose majestically out of the foamy brine, standing proud for but a heartbeat until it toppled over, the crash and the tumultuous spray signaling its death. This rhythmic crashing of the waves sounded like a classical masterpiece, the tempo rising and falling with theflow of the tide. 

Shinji Ikari sat up and took in the spectacle before him. Sitting on the isolated beach, he noted to himself how crisp the night air was, a welcome change from what had otherwise been a sweltering day. Of course today had been a day unlike any other in his life. 

After today nothing would ever be the same.

Glancing to his left in the muted light provided by the moon and stars, he took note of the reposed figure of the Second Child, Asuka Langley Sohryu. Her body adorned from head to toe in an angelic white, she lay next to him, perfectly still, eyes tightly closed with her arms draped limply across her stomach. Shinji had long since lost track of the time he had spent waiting by her side, his sole concern the fact thatshe had not moved orgave any indication she would ever again. Carefully Shinji reached over and placed his hand over hers, wrapping his fingers within, a sign of the desperation to once again feel her touch. The soft, silky texture of her glove felt incredible against his skin, his grip growing tighter as his thoughts wandered to its owner, the red haired girl who had forever changed his life. She had teased him, pushed him, helped him, hurt him, fought beside him, lived with him and ultimately died with him. 

'She looks so happy,' Shinji thought to himself as the breeze worked itself into just the right position and the familiar perfume of the Second Child registered. 'Maybe she has finally found peace.'   

Slowly his attention turned to the object he grasped within his other hand. Deliberately he raised his right arm, small grains of sand falling away as the white cross was dragged free. He held it out in front of him, watching intently as it twisted and turned, eager to test its freedom, no longer confined by the earth below. A frown grew on Shinji's face as he recalled exactly how the pendant came into his possession. It was another in the long line of events that defined this day in his life.

Placing the cross in his pocket, he scooped up a handful of sand, slowly letting it slip between his fingers, falling like rain back to the beach below.  The grains reminded him of the souls as they were merged together in Instrumentality. Although individual and unique for the brief moment they fell through the air, that precious gift was lost forever as they landed back on the beach and mixed with the billions of others already there.

Far out on the horizon, Shinji noticed the moon had just finished rising from the sea, its reflection now casting strange patterns on the water below. 

'Reflections,' Shinji thought as he carefully lay back down on the sand and stared up at the heavens. 'Memories of the past…'

He took the opportunity to look back at the one event that brought him to this point in his life. 

Instrumentality was a strange process indeed.

---------

_Third Impact had begun. The forbidden union of Adam and Lillith now complete. Whether or not mankind's Day of Judgment would be its last was now in the hands of one small, hurt child._

_The gigantic angelic vision stood of out of the shattered remains of Tokyo-3, carefully clasping in its hands the dark black globe that used to be known as the Geofront. _

_The Eva Pilot, tired and worn from battle, but somehow still alive, looked up in amazement and fear as the giant morphed from one shape to another, finally settling on the familiar image of the First Child. _

_"This is Rei is your heart," a voice spoke, seemingly straight into the pilot's mind. "Your very hopes and dreams. What do you wish for?"_

---------

_"Shinji," the redhead whispered, bending down next to the bed to gain better access to his ear. "Shinji," she repeated a little louder than before. _

_The dark haired boy groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, desperately trying to cover his head with his pillow. Glancing about the room, the girl could see it was in its usual state of disarray, books and clothes thrown about everywhere. _

_"This place is a pigsty," Asuka said loudly as she carefully stepped past some dirty underwear as she walked toward the window. "Nasty."  Reaching the window she pulled the shade, allowing the room to awash in the glow of the morning sun. "That's better," she said happily as she walked back to he slumbering teen. Reaching down she grabbed his pillow and in one swift motion she ripped it free of his hands. _

_"Stupid Shinji!" she screamed, "wake up!"_

_Shinji's eyes shot open as the voice reverberated through his head. Slowly turning over he blinked a couple  times as he adjusted to the light. "Oh," he mumbled as he brought his arm up to shield his eyes, "it's you, Asuka."_

_"Is that all you can say?" the redhead said indignantly, "it's you,Asuka?" She crossed her arms on her blue school uniform and turned her nose up at the boy. "Every morning I come to wake you up so you won't be late for school and this is the gratitude I get?"_

_"I'm sorry," Shinji said, "thanks."  He started to drag himself out of bed, only to fall back beneath his covers. "So how about you let me sleep a little more…"_

_"You're so lazy," Asuka said as she grabbed the blankets and began pulling them away. "Wake up, wake up…" she repeated as layer after layer of his coverings__were removed, "get up now!"  _

_"Stop it!" Shinji exclaimed as he held on for dear life to the last shred of cloth between her eyes__and his underwear. "I'm not dressed!"_

_"I don't care. It's time to get up," she smirked and yanked as hard as she could on the other end of the blanket. Off it flew, gently fluttering to the floor below, leaving an obviously embarrassed and semi nude Shinji Ikari behind. _

_"Well at least part of you is glad to see me," Asuka smiled as she glanced down at the boy. _

_"AHHHH!"__ Shinji screamed as he jumped out of bed and ran down the hall and into the bathroom._

_"Is everything under control?" a voice called out from the kitchen._

_"Yes Mr. Ikari," Asuka replied as she rummaged through a stack of clean clothes. "Shinji didn't want to get up and he got a little…excited," she giggled._

_"That is understandable," Gendo said flatly as he adjusted his eyeglasses. "You need to hasten if you are going to remain on schedule."_

_Asuka leaned her head out the doorway before responding. "Yes sir," she said loudly, turning her head slightly to ensure that she heard the sound of the shower starting.  "Shinji's getting ready as we speak." The redhead resumed her previous task, humming a tune as she carefully pulled out various articles of clothing and held them in her hand._

_She had just finished when she heard the shower turn off. Walking over to the door of the bathroom she could hear the occupant within muttering something incoherently. Mentally she started the countdown, five…four…three…two…one._

_"Dammit!" Shinji screamed from behind the door. "I don't have my…"_

_"Uniform," Asuka said as she slid the door open, closing her eyes and holding out the objects she had collected earlier. "I swear I don't know WHAT you would do without me." _

_"Just put them down on the counter, please."_

_"But they'll get all wet," the German girl said, "don't worry, I won't look." After a moment she felt him pull the clothes from her hand, one eye opening just a crack out of curiosity._

_Unfortunately he had been anticipating just such a transgression. "Hey," he protested, quickly bringing the bundle down as a makeshift shield. "You said you wouldn't look!"_

_"I didn't see anything," Asuka said as she gave up the charade and opened her eyes. Most of the steam had escaped through the open doorway, and what little was left did nothing to impede her view. She began to laugh as she watched Shinji cower in the corner, doing his best to alternate between covering his front and his rear._

_"Get out!" Shinji shouted as he pointed to the door, in the process dropping most of his clothes. "Get out right now!" _

_The girl shook her head back and forth. "Not until you thank me for getting your uniform."_

_"WHAT?!?!"___

_"You heard me," the redhead giggled, "I want a thank you."_

_"Fine," he said desperately, "thanks. Now get out!"_

_"Now that didn't sound sincere," Asuka whined._

_"Yes it was."_

_"No it wasn't."_

_"Yes it was," he said through his grinding teeth._

_"Did that sound sincere Mr. Ikari?" she called out._

_"It did not," the voice boomed from the other room. "You must thank Asuka properly. And hurry, you both have a timetable to keep."_

_Asuka smiled sarcastically down at the boy. "See, I told you it wasn't sincere."_

_Shinji took a deep breath. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for not only waking me up every morning, but also for taking the time to arrange my uniform. I thank you, thank you, and thank you. I'm forever indebted to you…now get the hell out so I can get dressed."_

_Asuka brought her hand up and stroked her chin, gazing skyward in appearance of deep thought. "Forever indebted, I like the sound of that," she said. "I mean it's STILL not quite the thanks I deserve but…HEY!" she said before the boy rudely pushed her out the door and slammed it. "You're welcome," she said loudly as she smiled brightly behind the closed door._

_---------_

_"Goodbye, sir," Asuka said with a slight bow as she finished kicking on her shoes and opened the front door._

_"Goodbye," Shinji added before the girl pushed him outside._

_Gendo sat at the kitchen table, chin resting on the white gloves of his steepled hands. "Bye," he called out nonchalantly as the door slid shut._

_Asuka grabbed Shinji by the hand and pulled him toward the elevator. "What's the deal with your father?" the redhead quizzed as the two quickly made their way along the terrace. "He's always so obsessed with schedules and stuff."_

_"He takes his job as a city bus driver very seriously," Shinji replied as he attempted to keep his books from falling out of his hand._

_"I know," Asuka said, "but it still seems weird." She glanced down at her watch and started running a little faster. "Come on you idiot, we have to hurry."_

_"What's the rush," he replied, trying his best to slow down but finding her draw to be too strong. "We're actually on time for once."_

_"I know that, stupid," Asuka said as she pushed the button. "But I have to get something from my apartment."_

_"I don't see why I have to go with you," Shinji complained. "Can't I meet you at school?"_

_"Like hell you will," the girl replied as she dragged her companion into the elevator. "It's your responsibility to walk me to school each day," she said pushing the appropriate button for her floor. "That's part of the agreement."_

_"What agreement?"_

_"The one where I wake you up and in turn you walk me to school."_

_"I don't remember agreeing to that," Shinji muttered as the doors slid open and Asuka shoved him out. "Hey, you're going to pull my arm out of the socket," he said as he desperately tried to keep up with the running girl at the other end of his arm._

_Within moments they were standing in front of a door marked simply SOHRYU. Asuka pulled her key from her book bag and inserted it. She didn't wait for the door to completely open, jumping inside and lugging Shinji along. _

_"You wait here," she said as she bent down and slipped off her shoes. "This will only take a second." The redhead disappeared down the hallway and into the kitchen. Shinji took the moment of calm to look around the apartment. He had been there a few times before so it wasn't like the first time or anything, but each time it amazed him. The odd combination of Asian and European décor worked surprisingly well. Many in __Japan__ would have found the use of bright colors and large, showy art pieces unacceptable, preferring instead soft shades and understated decorations. But Shinji always found the arrangement to be the perfect match. Enough of a bold statement to give the home a distinct, powerful personality and yet at the same time, upon a more careful inspection, each piece conveyed the feeling of love and closeness that existed within. His mind began to wonder about something else that exhibited those same traits, when his train of thought was broken by a female voice calling out._

_"Asuka…Asuka dear is that you?" the woman said._

_"Yes Mama," Asuka said from the kitchen. "I needed to stop and get something."_

_"Is that nice boy from downstairs with you?"_

_"Yes," Asuka said, her tone sounding a bit flustered. "He's waiting by the front door."_

_"Good morning, Mr. Ikari," Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu said as she stepped out of the living room holding a cup of coffee. She wore a__peach collared shirt and black skirt, both almost completely covered by her white lab coat, the customary outfit for a doctor of her standing. "It was very rude of Asuka to leave you standing there. Won't you please come in?"_

_"Thank you Mrs. Sohryu," Shinji replied with a slight bow, bringing a smile to the older woman's face._

_"No time!" Asuka said as she ran by her mother, slowing down just enough to plant a small kiss on her cheek. "We don't want to be late for school."_

_"But I hardly ever get to talk with any of your friends," Kyoko frowned as she watched Asuka struggle with her shoes. "Let alone ones as cute as…"_

_"Mother!"__ Asuka screamed._

_"What?" the woman giggled as she raised her cup of coffee for a sip. "I was only saying that…"_

_"Goodbye," the girl said as she opened the door and tried to push Shinji out. "We've got to go."_

_"Thank you very much for the hospitality," he said to the woman with a slight bow, resisting the redhead's attempts to move him. _

_"What a polite young man…so tell me, Shinji, are you seeing anyone?"_

_He gave the woman a curious stare, finally realizing she was serious. "Um…no," he stammered._

_"We have to go…NOW!" Asuka said loudly, alternating between pushing and pulling on the boy to get him out of the apartment. "Right now!"_

_"That's great to hear," __Kyoto__ smiled, "because my daughter has such a crush on…"_

_"Mama, PLEASE!" Asuka cried, finally lowering her shoulder and driving the boy through the open doorway._

_"Goodbye ma'am," Shinji waved as he was unceremoniously shuffled away._

_"Goodbye Asuka, goodbye Shinji," Kyoko smiled as she stood in the doorway watching the two run away. "Please come visit more often. You and Asuka make such an adorable couple…"_

_"MOTHER!"___

_---------_

_Class Representative Hikari Horaki checked the clock one last time as she cleared her throat in preparation of her address. On perfect cue, the tones rang indicating the lunch period had begun. Standing up, as she had done countless times before, she faced the class. _

_"Rise, bow…dismissed."___

_Within moments what had been a quiet study session turned into a noisy free for all as students scrambled to stake out their positions for lunch. Some chose to go to the school cafeteria, while others used the opportunity to take in the beautiful weather out on the courtyard. For today, Shinji and the other Stooges decided their desks would suit them just fine._

_"So what have you got?" Touji Suzahara said as he pulled a huge bag out from under his desk._

_"The usual," Kensuke muttered as he gazed into the open top of his lunch container. "This really sucks."_

_"What about you, Shinji?" Touji said as he took an enormous bite out of his sandwich. "What do you have to eat?" he said, his comment barely recognizable as he chewed on his food._

_"I don't know," he replied as he reached under his chair. "Dammit!" Shinji said loudly as he slapped himself on the head. "I was in such a rush I forgot to make a lunch."_

_"That's too bad," the track suited boy mumbled as he jammed the remainder of his sandwich into his maw. "Really too bad."_

_"I can't believe this," the dark haired boy said shaking his head back and forth. _

_"I'd give you some of mine," Kensuke offered, "but I've got barely enough for myself. Why don't you ask The Stomach here? It looks like he's got enough food to feed a small army."_

_"Touji…" Shinji started in his most pleading tone. "Could you…"_

_"Save it Ikari," Touji interrupted as he reached into his bag to retrieve the next victim. "I don't have any extra."_

_"But look at all the stuff you've got," Shinji protested. "Can't you spare just a little," he implored, bringing up his hand and holding his thumb and index finger slightly apart to indicate the amount. "I'm starving."_

_"No way," the jock exclaimed. He took a moment to swallow the contents of his mouth before continuing. "I've only got food for me. If I don't eat enough at lunch I'll get hungry before the end of the day. If I get hungry…then I tend to get cranky and angry. You don't want to see me cranky and angry, do you?" _

_Shinji watched as Touji ripped a massive portion off of his cold pizza slice and smiled. "Probably not," he said softly._

_"Speaking of cranky and angry," Kensuke said as he tapped Shinji on the shoulder. "Why does the Red Haired Devil keep looking over here?"_

_"I don't know," Shinji replied, "but she probably feels guilty because it's her fault that I don't have anything to eat. If we didn't have to stop at her room…"_

_"Whoa," Touji interjected, sending bits of pizza crust spraying on the floor, "you were spending a little alone time with Asuka?"_

_"Is she riding your baloney pony?" the spectacled boy questioned._

_"It's not like that!"_

_"Sure it's not," Kensuke winked causing the larger boy to start choking on his food. "Admit it, you and Asuka are doing it."_

_"Yeah," Touji gasped as he began pointing at his throat. Kensuke causally stood up and gingerly walked over to slap the track suited Stooges back. "Shinji's getting it on with the ol' Devil herself," he added as the free passage of air was returned._

_"More like SHE'S getting it on with him," the smaller boy observed smartly, "probably using whips and chains…"_

_"Why me?"__ Shinji lamented as he banged his head slowly on his desk._

_---------_

_"Why me?"__ Asuka sighed as she watched the other boys standing over Shinji and laughing. She nervously held the neatly wrapped box in her hands, gently shifting it from one to the other. "Why me?"_

_"What do you want to do?" Hikari said as she eyed one particular member of the trio carefully. _

_"I don't know," the redhead exclaimed, "but I just can't do it in front of those two idiots!"_

_"But you worked half the night on this," the freckled face girl said with a frown. "I can't believe that you are going to back out now."_

_"Make them go the principal's office or something," Asuka said as she motioned to Touji and Kensuke._

_"You know I can't do that."_

_"You're nothing but a figurehead!" Asuka said exasperatedly. "What good is a class representative if it has no real power?"_

_Hikari let her friend's comment pass. She could see the anxiety and fear in the other girl's face and mannerisms as she danced back and forth, unable to stand still for even a moment. Steps like the one Asuka was contemplating were difficult to say the least. Pitfalls were everywhere in the process and it took a certain level of courage and determination to proceed. And as outwardly brave and arrogant as__her best friend might seem, deep down below that tough exterior beat the heart of a scared, lonely little girl. Of course Hikari understood her reservations about opening up her heart…she had the same ones herself._

_A smile grew on the pigtailed girl's face as providence, in the form of a certain blue haired girl, stepped in to break the stalemate._

_---------_

_"Hi Shinji," the red eyed girl called out as she pushed her way past a group of students loitering in the aisle and sat down in an empty desk next to the boy. "Are you busy?"_

_"Not really," Shinji said he picked up his head and faced her._

_"Hi Rei," Kensuke and Touji said in unison as they leaned over their friend's__shoulders._

_"Hello boys," she replied with a smile, running her hands through her blue hair. _

_"She's so HOT," the spectacled boy leaned back and whispered to his drooling friend. And it was true. Not many girls in the entire Tokyo-3 school system filled out a school uniform quite like Rei Ayanami. That included the teachers._

_"Would you like something to eat?" Touji called out, "I've got plenty to share."_

_"Me too," Kensuke chimed in,__not to be outdone._

_Shinji let out a groan as he lowered his head and shook it slowly back and forth._

_"Why so glum,__Ikari?" she said turning her full attention to the dark haired boy. _

_"He forgot his lunch," Touji offered, determining that saying ANYTHING to the pale skinned beauty was better than nothing at all. "Kind of shows how stupid he is if you ask me."_

_"What about the cafeteria?" Rei said, her crimson eyes staring intently into Shinji's steel blue ones. "I know the food's not great but it's better than going hungry."_

_"I don't have any money," Shinji replied softly._

_Rei reached out and carefully took his hand. "Tell you what.  I'll buy lunch for both of us."_

_"R…really?"___

_"Sure," she smiled and squeezed a bit harder, "but in return you have to promise to take me to a movie this weekend."_

_"M…movie?"__ Shinji stammered._

_"That lucky bastard!"__ Kensuke whispered to Touji as he realized what was going on. "The most beautiful girl in the school is practically BEGGING him for a date."_

_"Yeah, even a moron like Ikari can't screw this up," the track-suited boy nodded._

_"I don't know Rei," Shinji said softly, a slight blush forming on his face as the girl's eyes continued to stare at him. _

_"What's the matter?" she replied with a frown. "Don't you think I'm pretty?"_

_"Y…yes, of course," he blushed while turning away, unable to hold her gaze any longer. "I think you are very attractive."_

_"Then what is it?" Rei implored. She brought her hand up and gently clasped his chin, carefully turning the nervous boy back to face her. "Why are you so afraid to go on a date with me, Shinji?" she said, her voice as smooth as silk. "I'm not going to bite…unless you want me to."_

_With a crash the two boys who had been eavesdropping on the conversation fell backwards onto the floor, mumbling incoherently as their arms and legs flailed about._

_"They must have been standing downwind of your perfume." _

_The blue haired girl grit her teeth, an angry snarl escaping as the person standing behind her continued. "Is that Ode de Whore No.1?"_

_"Oh it's you,Sohryu," Rei smirked, not bothering to turn around to properly address the other girl. "Anger management classes get out early?"_

_"Just what do you think you're doing?" Asuka said as she finally noticed Rei's hands on Shinji. Quickly stepping around the desk,__she pulled them apart. "Don't you touch him!"_

_"What's your problem?" the ashen girl questioned. "Don't tell me you like him or something?"_

_"I didn't say…I mean…I don't know what you're…" the redhead said desperately, the words stumbling out of her mouth as her face began to flush. Finally she took a deep breath to compose herself. "I don't need to answer to YOU."_

_"Asuka's got a crush on Shinji," Touji chanted as he rose to his feet. _

_"I never said that!" she shouted, her face now almost as crimson as her hair._

_"She does?" Shinji questioned aloud._

_"Take it from someone who's an expert on this kind of stuff," Touji said as he placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "I can tell when a girl has the hots for a guy, and unfortunately the Red Haired Devil has them for you."_

_"It's painfully obvious," Kensuke added as he slapped his friend on the back. "Great job. You've got two women fighting over you." The boy's face turned decidedly crestfallen as he continued. "And I have none." _

_"Shut up you morons!" Asuka snapped as she listened to their comments._

_"Make the right choice," Touji said with a grin. He put his hands on either side of Shinji's head and turned it to gaze upon Rei, who looked over and smiled before returning to her compact, touching up some of the make up on her face.  "On the one hand you could go out with the best looking girl in the school and enjoy a life of jealousy and envy from the rest of the male student body. Or…" he paused to move Shinji's field of view to encompass a very irate looking Asuka, her chest heaving up and down as her anger rose. "You could go out with The Bitch and look forward to a life of pain and miser…HEY!"_

_"You be quiet, Touji Suzahara!" Hikari said as she tugged on his ear, ignoring his protests and pulling him away from the others. "Let Shinji make up his own mind."_

_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Touji apologized profusely as he was lead away._

_"And what's this about you being some type of expert about noticing when a girl likes a boy?" the class rep added before they were out of earshot of the others. _

_"Now that unpleasantness is out of the way," Rei said as she shut her compact, "are you ready to go to lunch, Shinji?" The recently applied eyeliner and mascara were apparent as she blinked adorningly at him. No man had ever resisted her siren call, especially when her natural good looks received a little man made augmentation. _

_"I…" Shinji began but was quickly cut off._

_"Don't you have some dirty old men to dance for?" Asuka exclaimed._

_Rei shot the redhead a foul look before a conceited smile grew on her face. Standing up she reached out her hand to the boy. "Come on Shinji," she said as she took his hand and raised him out of his seat. "We've wasted enough time on her."_

_Rei led Shinji down the aisle toward the front of the room. Suddenly behind him he heard a familiar voice. "S…Shinji wait."_

_He stopped, drawing an exasperated sigh from the blue haired girl as he ignored her tugs and turned around. "Yes Asuka?"_

_"I…I just wanted to give you something," she started as her head hung low, voice soft and nearly breaking. "I made this for you." _

_She slowly pulled something out from behind her back. He immediately recognized the carefully wrapped package as the one that Asuka had stopped to get at her apartment that morning. She had been keeping it near her all morning, ignoring numerous requests to divulge its contents. _

_Shinji pulled free of Rei's grip and gently took the container. "Thank you," he said softly, "what is it?"_

_The German girl continued to hang her head, the scarlet locks of her hair covering most of her face as she spoke. "Open it."_

_Shinji placed the item on his desk and meticulously undid the knot that held the cloth wrapping. Pulling each corner back, he examined the carton within. The corners of his mouth upturned as he untied the string and opened the bento box, the aroma of delicacies inside overpowering. All of his favorite foodstuffs were there, each carefully laid out and arranged in what he knew must have been a very long and laborious process._

_"Wow," Kensuke said loudly. Shinji glanced to his right and saw that the boy was leaning over his shoulder to get a better look. _

_"A bento box," Rei scoffed, "how…cute." She reached over and took Shinji's free arm. "Come on, if we hurry we'll be able to get a private table in the corner." She tried her best to move dark haired boy, but he was frozen in place._

_Shinji looked up bewilderedly at Asuka, saying the only word that came to his mind. "Why?"_

_"My mother told me it was a Japanese tradition or something," Asuka replied, doing her best to smile as she looked at him. "She helped me with the ingredients and stuff." _

_"But how did you…?"_

_"We've been together for a long time, Shinji," she interrupted, "I have a good idea what you like."_

_"That makes sense," Shinji nodded. He took a moment to clear his throat before continuing. "I don't know what to say."_

_"Just say you'll accept it," Asuka said as she brushed the hair off her face. "That would be a start."_

_"I never knew that you …" he whispered._

_"I guess I didn't either," she said, absently wiping a tear from her eye. "Until now."_

_"I'm genuinely moved…really," Rei said as she resumed her tugging on the boy's arm. "But if the waterworks are about to start, we really should be going."_

_"You listen here!" Asuka snapped as she pointed at the other girl. "I don't know what you think you're planning to do with Shinji, but know this. I'm not about to give him up without a fight!"_

_"Is it really true?" Rei exclaimed sarcastically, "the Great Asuka Langley Sohryu admitting she likes Shinji Ikari?"_

_"What if I do?" the redhead quickly replied, her stunned appearance testament to the fact she had surprised herself with the statement. "I don't see how that matters to you."_

_"I like Ikari very much as well," Rei said loudly. "And I know I would treat him much better than you."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"You know exactly what that means," the blue haired girl snapped. "You've done nothing but tease and pick on Shinji for as long as you have known him. Whereas I have been nothing but nice to him from the beginning."_

_"I…I never meant to hurt him," Asuka said, her voice no longer carrying its usual ire._

_"A pathetic excuse," Rei said crossly, "from a pathetic individual. What's going to be your defense when you inevitably do it again?"_

_"I…I…" Asuka stammered for a moment completely at a loss for words. _

_"Just as I thought," the girl scowled, her ruby eyes full of distain. "He will never choose you over me!"_

_Asuka looked at Shinji, her lips trembling as she waited for him to say something…anything. Yet there he stood, saying nothing, doing nothing. _

_"I'm sorry," he finally uttered, lowering his head and staring down at the floor as the blue haired girl smiled brightly.  _

_Asuka stood frozen for a moment, her mouth hanging open in shock, before she pushed between him and Rei, her pained expression evident as she ran down the aisle and out the classroom door.  _

_--------- _

_"I've got it," Shinji said as he stood in the darkened theater__watching the image of the Second Child running away. "This is also a world. This is a possibility within me."_

_The image of the First Child stood before him, her stoic visage neither acknowledging nor ignoring his comment._

_"But this isn't reality," he said dejectedly, the dream world__fading away as he turned his focus to the girl standing before him. "No one is there. Those images are not real. They are just my convenient fantasies."_

_Rei's silence continued as she stared out at the boy, her face betraying no emotion whatsoever.___

_Shinji decided to press on. "I guess I thought I could remake reality, but after seeing what happened, I realize that no one was there. It was not you. It was not me. It was not Asuka."_

_"You didn't understand anything," Rei said, finally breaking her silence._

_"What do you mean?" he replied desperately. "Are you trying to tell me that is the true Shinji Ikari? The true Rei Ayanami? The true Asuka?"_

_"Those are accurate images." _

_"But that's not true!" Shinji yelled, shaking his head back and forth as the girl's cryptic answers started to frustrate him. "You can't tell me those are the true images of everyone. Those were my own perverse representations of them. You're not some cheap hussy,__Rei. And Asuka…" he paused as he reached the last name, his voice breaking as he strained to finish his train of thought. "And Asuka could never like me. She hates me."_

_"You have misunderstood from the start," the First Child said, "you simply assumed without asking." Shinji stared at the blue haired girl with a bewildered look on his face. _

_"But I already told you that…" Shinji started, stopping short as he realized that Rei was no longer looking at him, but rather past him. His eyes peered at her for a few moments, begging her to again look at him. "Rei?" he said cautiously as if not to upset her, "Rei?" _

_Receiving no indication that she was ever going to acknowledge his presence, he slowly turned around to see what she was staring at._

_The vision of Asuka stood out against the black background, her body seeming to be lit by an unseen spotlight. Although she was only a few feet away from the boy, she could have easily been a thousand miles away as she watched the events continue to unfold within her universe. The pained expression on her face was unmistakable, a single tear running down her cheek as she continued to watch herself running down the hallway of the school._

_"The vision you saw was not your world, but rather hers," Rei said as she took up a position next to the Third Child. "Her own hopes and dreams."_

_"It can't be," Shinji said desperately as he ran over, grabbed the redhead's shoulders and started shaking her. "That's not me!" he screamed, Asuka making no indication she could hear him as he continued. "Your image of me isn't real! It's not true! I would never hurt you like that. Please Asuka…"_

_"She can't hear you," Rei said as she again took up a position next to the boy. "Like yourself, she too can not understand the gap between other's reality and her own truth." _

_"I think I finally understand," Shinji said as he carefully let go of Asuka and turned to look at the First Child. "Our minds are telling us that reality is bad and hateful. But if we had taken the time to figure out the truth, we might have seen that we were wrong."_

_"If you wish for the existence of others, the barriers of the heart will separate everyone once more. And the fear of other people will begin again."_

_"That's all right," Shinji said, stepping away from Asuka, "considering what I've seen, maybe the real world itself isn't always bad."_

_The familiar image of Kaworu Nagisa appeared next to the First Child. "So it's okay for AT fields to hurt you and others once more?"_

_"I hate myself," the Third Child said as the image of the empty theater began to crack around him. "And I still don't know where to find happiness."_

_"Those who truly hate themselves cannot love or trust others," Rei said softly._

_"I understand that now," Shinji said as the walls cracked even further. "And although I hate myself, someday I might be able to love myself. And then I could love others."_

_As he finished, the entire stage disappeared and Shinji found himself back on Earth, sitting alone on a beach as waves of crimson washed up in front of him. _

_"Thank you."_

---------

Shinji sat up, his eyes blinking rapidly as his consciousness returned to the present. Revisiting those memories of Third Impact gave him a longing for more than just the touch of her hand. But her continued inactivity made that possibility futile and his frustration with the situation grew. He gently placed her hand down by her side and carefully leaned over her. His hands glided over her arms, stopping as they hovered over her neck. With a grin he slid them behind her, lifting her head just enough to get his hands around her. Leaning down, he placed a tender kiss upon her lips as he fell into a tight embrace. 

He remained there for the span of a few heartbeats before he started to feel her stir beneath him. Sitting up he continued to straddle her as he watched her eyes slowly blink open.

Her hand rose up and again Shinji felt the cool touch of her silky gloveas she gently caressed his cheek, the corners of her mouth turning up as he smiled down at her.

The moment was lost as the color faded from her face, her expression and attitude turning decidedly disagreeable. 

"I feel sick," Asuka said as she bucked him off and rolled over to her side. Raising herself up on her hands and knees, she stared down at the sand below, fully expecting to deposit the contents of her stomach within seconds.

"Are you all right?" Shinji said as he rubbed her back in an effort to ease her situation.

"I think so," she said, her face hidden behind the curtain of crimson hair that hung down on either side. Taking a few deep breaths,the Second Child seemed to compose herself as she drew her legs in and sat down next to her companion. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" he said as his hand absently continued massaging her back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Asuka replied as she cocked her head in an effort to stretch out the muscles. "Work on the neck," she said pulling her hair out of the way, "the neck." A smile came over her face as he complied.

"What happened?" he questioned while sliding over a bit so he was now sitting directly behind her, legs astride her as he brought both hands to bear on her aching joints. 

She leaned back a little, a sigh escaping as he worked a particularly nasty knot. "I don't know," she said, "maybe the fact you were sitting on my stomach." She turned around to face him, a devious smile on her face. "Have you been putting on weight?"

"You sure it wasn't all that sake you drank?" Shinji smirked.

"Huh…what…no," Asuka stammered in denial. Her face began to blush as she tried to remember exactly how much she had to drink. Drawing a blank, it was quickly apparent that she had enjoyed herself a little too much earlier. "It wasn't my fault…you know how Misato gets at those things."

"I certainly do," he smiled, reaching into his pocket and pulling the purple haired woman's white cross necklace out. "She was so plastered that she forgot this. The karaoke attendant gave it to me."  

"See," the redhead noted, "it's not MY fault. She made me drink too much."

"Well I think she had every right to enjoy herself," Shinji said, "even to excess. Today was very special for her." He paused for a moment, doing his best to put a frown on his face as he continued. "But you on the other hand, you're supposed to show some restraint."

"You're right," Asuka mocked, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder. "Will you EVER be able to forgive me?"

"Maybe," he said sarcastically, his body instinctively flinching as her hand came up and her fingers began to draw circles on his chest. "But I don't know about the others."

Asuka lifted her head and stared at him with a nervous expression. "Please tell me I didn't make a fool of myself."

"Not too bad," Shinji smiled as he slid his hand around and pulled her tight against him. She returned her head to his shoulder as he continued. "Although you and Misato did a drunken rendition of 'You've Lost that Loving Feeling' that might have been criminal."

"Oooo," Asuka said, "it was that horrible?"

"It was," he nodded, "and it's probably better that you can't remember what Touji said when you told Hikari they should name their kid after you."

"You've made your point," she whispered into his ear, "I'm sorry I drank too much." She playfully bit at his earlobe after she finished.

"Consider it forgotten…although Kensuke wasn't too happy when…"

"STOP!" Asuka shouted as she grabbed his chin with her hand and turned his head, forcing him to look at her. Without pausing she leaned in and kissed him deeply, their arms pulling one another tighter. They remained like this for almost a minute, tongues darting into and out of one another's mouth before the redhead finally broke the union as she pulled away with a satisfied look on her face. "That certainly shut you up."

The two stared at one another for a moment before each broke into laughter. Asuka stood up and took a few steps toward the ocean, brushing the sand off her outfit before stretching her arms out to the side. Her body was perfectly silhouetted against the moon, her auburn hair kicking up behind as the breeze played havoc with it. The white dress followed suit, the hemline billowing in time with each gust. Time seemed to stand still as Shinji silently watched her ethereal image of beauty on that lonely beach.

"Hey," she said as she turned around and walked back to him. "You're happy with…well what happened today right?"

"Of course I am," he returned, his face conveying the shock and confusion over the comment. "Why would you ask such a stupid question?"

"Well," she grinned as she held out her hand to help him stand up, "then why the hell are we out here instead of back at the cottage?" Even in the limited light available Shinji could clearly see the blush on her face as she continued. "I know this wasn't what I envisioned what we would be doing right now."

Shinji's face flushed worse than his companion's as she finished. "Believe me, this wasn't my idea," he chuckled as he took her hand and stood up. Their hands remained together, fingers now intertwined as they slowly started walking toward the distant lights of the oceanfront chalet. "You mentioned something about a romantic walk on the beach, I think."

"And then what happened…I passed out?"

"That pretty much sums it up," he smiled. 

"That's not very romantic," Asuka said before she leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. "I guess I really did drink too much. How long was I out?"

"Only about a half hour…forty five minutes tops," Shinji replied, her kiss making him grip her hand even tighter…and quicken his pace.

The Second Child suddenly stopped, using her free hand to punch him in the arm. "And you decided you couldn't wait any longer so you were starting without me?" she said loudly, brandishing her fist to unleash another blow.

"What? Huh?" was the best he could come up with as she hit him again. The strikes were clearly playful, but she still put enough behind them to ensure he would have a nice black and blue patch the next day. "What are you talking about?" he finally called out in desperation as he held her wrists with his hands to avoid further punches.

"Pervert. Why were you lying on top of me when I woke up?" she yelled. "I was probably moments away from being molested by you."

"No you weren't!"

"Like hell," she snapped, "you've got no self control. You saw an opportunity to take advantage of this beautiful woman while she was unable to defend herself and you decided to take matters in you own hand. Literally." 

"You know I wouldn't do that," Shinji replied desperately as released her hands. 

"I'm only kidding," Asuka smiled as she watched him rub his arm absently. She reached down and took his hand again as they started walking down the beach once more. "So what were you doing while I was…er…asleep?"

"I was just sitting next to you…thinking."

"Dirty thoughts?" she winked. "Maybe I was right when I said…"

"No," Shinji said, deciding not to take the bait. "I was just remembering…well, you know."

"You idiot," Asuka replied, her tone suddenly much more serious than before. "That was a long time ago. You have to learn to let it go."

"I don't think I ever will," he sighed. The redhead stopped and embraced the young man tightly. She could feel his arms tentatively reach up and hug her back. They stood like this for few moments before Shinji spoke again. "Asuka…could I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever wonder if this is all real?" he said as he looked out over her shoulder and to the sea beyond. "I mean do you question if Third Impact was indeed stopped or if we're still there, living in some fantasy world created by our minds?"

Like everyone else who returned after Third Impact, Asuka appeared to have no memory of her experience and Shinji never told her any specifics. From the moment she woke up on the beach next to him, he had decided to bury the truth about what had happened, not out of malice or spite, but rather to save her any embarrassment over his knowledge of her innermost hopes and dreams. Those were her most private thoughts and given the amount of time she had spent hiding them from the world, the sudden idea that Shinji knew all of them could have proved devastating. 

So he decided to keep it to himself, content with theknowledge that no matter what he knew or didn't know, she was going to have to work out her problems on her own for any type of lasting peace. 

Of course, he was known from time to time to use some of the information garnered to aid their relationship as it slowly blossomed.

"OUCH!" Shinji shouted as a throbbing in his cheek snapped him out of his introspection. "What are you doing?"

"Just checking something," Asuka smiled as she pinched his cheek again, getting the same painful reply from him. 

"What was that for?"

Asuka stepped in front of Shinji to look him in the eye. "They always say to pinch someone to see if they are dreaming."

"Very funny," he groaned. 

"Just helping you make sure this is the real world," she smirked, "although I can't blame you for thinking this is all a dream." She paused to let the confused look on her partner sit for a moment. "I mean someone like you standing here all alone with the most beautiful woman in Tokyo-2…"

"Sounds more like a nightmare," Shinji mumbled.

"I heard that," Asuka snapped, smiling at the joke despite her best efforts to look upset. "Another comment like that and you'll regret never learning to swim," she said, pointing to him and then the breaking surf. The young man gulped loudly drawing an even bigger grin on the redhead's face. 

"You didn't have to pinch so hard," Shinji whined as he fell in step next to the girl. "That really hurt."

"You know something," Asuka frowned as she placed her hands on her hips. "By my calculations the reception has been over for like four hours…and we still haven't made this thing official. Now are we going to quit all this chit chat and get back to the cottage? Or are you planning on letting me get away again?" 

"What?!?!"

"You heard me," she said as she started backpedaling quickly in front of him. "Only this time I promise there's something much better then a stupid bento lunch in it for you." 

"Yeah…but…how?" Shinji stammered as he watched her giggling image, her white dress now a blur going across the sand as she turned and ran away. 

"Are you coming?" she turned around and yelled over her shoulder, "or do I have to start without you?"

"I'll never let you get away from me again, Mrs. Asuka Langley Ikari," the dark haired young man shouted as he sprinted off after her. "As the man said, 'till death do us part.'"

THE END

Authors Notes:

All italics are a flashback to 3rd Impact if that was unclear. The Eva Pilot in the first scene in italics is Asuka. And as for the OOC of Rei in the dream world, well you have to remember that this is Asuka's representation of Rei, not the real person herself. This is just my view as to what Asuka thinks the truth is in Rei, not the reality. Where Shinji had her bubbly and nice in the TV ep 26, I imagined that Asuka would also have her more outgoing, but conniving and conceited as well because that is what Asuka thought she was. Thanks to Random1377, Rhine and Jeff Alan for prereading. C&C is welcome at ryoma3000@yahoo.com


End file.
